Kaiser’s New Colonoscopy Protocol

A new study undertaken by researchers at Kaiser Permanente has concluded that focusing on a particular type of polyp during colonoscopies could potentially reduce the rate of colon cancers dramatically.

The study, which was published online by the Journal of the American Medical Association, focused on the detection and removal of a particular type of polyp known as an adenoma. The adenoma detection rate was drawn from 57,588 patients examined by 136 physicians at Kaiser Permanente’s Northern California region between1998 through 2010.

According to the study, the physicians had an adenoma detection and removal rate ranging from 7.4% to 53% among its patients. Each 5% increase in adenoma detection and removal translated to an 11% decrease in rates of colorectal cancer and a 13% reduction in mortality.

There were some modest increases in costs and medical complications with the adenoma removal, but they were more than offset by the decreases in the mortality rate. 

“This modeling study used real-world data that suggested higher adenoma detection rates may lead to fewer cancers and deaths from cancer without substantially increasing serious complications or costs.” said gastroenterologist Douglas A. Corley, M.D., principal investigator of the study and a research scientist with the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Division of Research.

Kaiser said it was introducing increased adenoma identification protocols into its colon cancer screening and had a goal of cutting the mortality rate from colorectal cancer in half.